On
industrial scale methanol is prepared from a mixture of carbon monoxide
and hydrogen. The gaseous mixture is subjected to 200 atmospheres and then
passed over heated catalyst mixture of ZnO and Cr2O3
kept at 400O C to 450O
C. This reaction results the formation of methanol vapours
which are then condensed to liquid state.

CO
+ 2H2
CH3-OH

PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF METHANOL

It is a colorless liquid. It
is highly volatile and less viscous. Its
boiling point is 64.7O C. It
is a poisonous liquid. It
is miscible in water.

CHEMICAL
PROPERTIES OF METHANOL

ESTER FORMATION

CH3-OH
+ CH3COOH = CH3-COO-CH3
+H2O

REACTION WITH HALOGEN ACID (in the presence of ZnCl2)

CH3-OH
+ HCl
CH3-Cl + H2O

OXIDATION [Formation of formaldehyde]

In
the presence of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) in acidic medium,
on heating, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde.